You don’t have to find the purpose of your pain to find beauty again.

This is art from a favorite artist I follow, Scott Erickson. The art may at first seem “simple” but there is always a twist with his art that leads to a deep truth.

I decided to use this piece as a visio divina experience at my church. Visio divina is a Christian contemplative practice that means “divine seeing,” or using art as prayer.

When I saw this art, I immediately saw me as the burnt out candle and the many people who have carried my pain when life has smashed me. This is how Bravester started. I wrote a book about these people. This art wowed me because it was art for my lived experience.

I thought the people at my church would have the same wisdom about this art. Not so.

One person shared that when life smashes her, she needs a moment before she receives the flames of help from others. Isn’t that true?! Sometimes I just need to go to bed for a day or so before I allow my gift of people to come help me.

One person shared that pain keeps you straight up and rigid. It is on me to just bend to the left or the right just a little bit to accept help. Isn’t that true also?

What are you seeing in this art?

I am going to guess it will be something equally awe-inspiring. Because pain is more than a punishment from God or a chance for you to learn a lesson. Something beautiful happens from pain. Something you won’t ever forget.

I won’t ever forget the people who have carried my pain. I won’t ever forget the lessons people from my church also shared (which is why I’m sharing them with you).

The artist, Scott Erickson, called this piece, “The Light From Others, the strange by product of suffering.”

Have you ever thought of pain having a byproduct and it may be awe?

What are you seeing in this art? What is pain making beautiful in you?

You do not have to find the purpose of your pain to live well with it and experience the byproduct of it. It does not have to make sense. Pain is not God punishing you or trying to teach you a lesson you have to figure out. You do not need to spend what little energy you have trying to decode what God is doing through your suffering. And you do not have to turn your pain into a spiritual growth story for God to still be with you in it.

Your pain does not need some bigger spiritual purpose beyond reminding you that your life deserves care, support, and attention. You can stop trying to spiritualize every part of it. There is freedom in not having to figure it all out. Then you can actually feel your pain instead of explaining it away. Then you can begin to find ways to live alongside it instead of constantly trying to solve it.

Pain is not a mistake to fix.

And your gift of people will give you the care, support, and attention. Bend just a bit to receive the wonderful byproduct of pain.

My life is a story of getting my heart smashed and the many times I have chosen to get up. I am grateful for the flames from my gift of people who got me here in my life. I wrote a book about them and what they did.